Impact and consequences of school-based assessment (SBA): Students’ and parents’ views of SBA in Hong Kong

Abstract

School-based assessment (SBA) has recently been introduced into the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examinations (HKCEE) in English. The present study was conducted within the context of this assessment change to investigate students' and parents' perceptions of the impact of SBA. Two surveys were employed to explore students' and parents' perceptions of SBA and their perceptions of the impact of SBA on learning. The results from the student survey demonstrated a relationship between students' perceptions of SBA-related learning activities and their perceptions of their own language competence. The results also showed significant differences between students' perceptions of the learning activities they had taken part in during the previous school year and those they were currently engaging in. In addition, parents' perceptions of SBA and the opportunities for them to know about SBA significantly and positively predicted their support for their children's SBA learning. Parents' education level and the amount of time they spent with their child daily also predicted their support for their children's SBA learning, though to a lesser extent. Further, parents' perceptions about the SBA are directly and significantly related to their children's perceptions about SBA. Taking the results from both students' and parents' surveys together, we have gained a better understanding of the complexity of the impact of SBA within the Hong Kong educational context, as perceived by students and their parents. Keywordsimpact and consequences, school-based assessment (SBA), students and parents As part of the worldwide movement to combine assessment of learning with assessment for learning in order to promote students' learning, standards-referenced school-based assessment (SBA) has recently been introduced into the Hong Kong Certificate of Language Testing 28(2) 221-249

Impacts of the Test of English Listening Comprehension (TELC) on teachers and teaching in Taiwan

“…Due to the obligation to focus on raising students' test scores in a fixed teaching schedule, the teachers' autonomy to carry out two-way interactive listening exercises was unfortunately sacrificed. This is in line with previous research, in which parents' expectations of, and involvement in, their children's academic performance has been found to shape teaching and learning in school (Cheng et al 2011;Linn 1993;Mulvenon et al 2005). Moreover, the teachers' and school authorities' responses to the test were found to fluctuate with their students' English language proficiency.…”

“…The methods for exploring test impacts commonly involve questionnaire surveys, interviews, observation, analysis of textbooks, exam papers or other relevant documents, and ethnography (Cheng et al 2011;Spratt 2005;Watanabe 2004). Surprisingly perhaps, although questionnaires can be efficient and economical tools and as such are frequently adopted to gather opinions, attitudes, views, or beliefs (Denscombe 2014), reliable and valid examples exploring washback effects on teachers are rare.…”

“…The focus of washback research has shifted over the past few years from an emphasis on high-stakes international English language testing preparation courses (e.g., Alderson and Hamp-Lyons 1996;Green 2006;Read and Hayes 2003) to attention to test stakeholders' perspectives, particularly those regarding assessment, learning, and teaching in school (e.g., Cheng et al 2011;Chou 2015). Washback effects can be positive, negative, or both.…”

On the Plausibility of Bloom’s Higher Order Thinking Strategies on Learner Autonomy: The Paradigm Shift

“…The methods for investigating the effects of instructional intervention could be questionnaire surveys, interviews, observation and other suitable documents, and ethnography (Cheng, et al 2011;Spratt 2005;Watanabe 2004). The researchers in the present study collected the required data via the instruments of the test, questionnaire, and interview.…”

Critique of the Research Article “Views from the Chalkface: English Language School-Based Assessment in Hong Kong” by the Researcher “Chris Davison” (2007)

“…This essay will primarily focus on analyzing Davison (2007) article "Views from the chalkface: English language school-based assessment in Hong Kong", on the basis on the conceptual framework drawn on two works from Stanley, MacCann, Gardner, Reynolds, and Wild's (2009) and Cheng, Andrews, and Yu's (2011). The first paper will be utilized to evaluate Davison's claims and methods whilst the second paper is adopted to review his findings.…”